Drivers heading towards Dartford and Gravesend face four nights of overnight disruption on the A2 this week, with slip roads closing at four junctions between Monday and Thursday.
National Highways has confirmed the closures, which affect slip roads and entry links rather than the A2 main carriageway itself. Most shut at 8pm and reopen at 6am the following morning, although one closure on Monday night starts later, at 10pm.
The junctions affected are Marling Cross, Dartford Heath, Tollgate and Three Crutches. Signed diversion routes will be in place where slip roads are shut, and drivers are advised to check their route before setting off and allow extra time.
Night by night: what closes and when
Monday night, 26 October. Two closures are scheduled. The A2 eastbound Marling Cross exit slip road closes from 8pm on Monday until 6am on Tuesday, while the westbound Dartford Heath entry slip road closes from 10pm on Monday until 5.30am on Tuesday.
Tuesday night, 27 October. The westbound Marling Cross entry slip road closes from 8pm on Tuesday until 6am on Wednesday, and the westbound Tollgate entry and exit slip roads close over the same hours. The listings supplied by National Highways show the Marling Cross entry slip twice, but that should not be treated as two separate closures.
Wednesday night, 28 October. One closure is scheduled: the eastbound Marling Cross entry slip road, from 8pm on Wednesday until 6am on Thursday. Drivers planning to join the eastbound A2 at Marling Cross during those hours should look for an alternative access route.
Thursday night, 29 October. One closure runs overnight into Friday: the westbound Three Crutches entry link road, from 8pm on Thursday until 6am on Friday, 30 October.
Marling Cross hit three nights running
Marling Cross bears the brunt of the week’s works. It is affected on three consecutive nights: the eastbound exit slip on Monday, the westbound entry slip on Tuesday and the eastbound entry slip on Wednesday. Anyone who regularly joins or leaves the A2 there will need a different plan on each of those nights.
Tollgate is affected on Tuesday only, with both its westbound entry and exit slip roads shut overnight, while Dartford Heath and Three Crutches each face a single night of restrictions, on Monday and Thursday respectively.
Because the closures are limited to slip roads and entry links, through traffic on the A2 itself is not being stopped. The practical effect is on drivers joining or leaving the road at the four junctions, who will have to follow the signed diversions to the next available access point.
Part of a busy week for Dartford-area roads
The A2 works land in the same week as a separate set of overnight closures across the M25, which also run from Monday to Thursday night. Drivers travelling between the A2 and the motorway network around Dartford should therefore check both sets of restrictions before setting off, rather than assuming a clear run on either road.
The Dartford crossing itself has also seen disruption in recent days, after the anticlockwise tunnel was held following a crash before reopening. National Highways publishes updates on planned roadworks across England’s major road network, and the information on this week’s A2 closures is correct at the time of publication but subject to change at short notice.
Motorists travelling towards London are advised to check the latest traffic information before setting off, particularly if travelling overnight, and to follow signed diversions where restrictions are in place.
National Highways’ road closure report carries the latest information on planned works, and it is worth a final check on the night itself: overnight engineering programmes can shift at short notice, and a slip road listed as closing at 8pm may open later than planned if works overrun. Drivers who cannot avoid the affected junctions should build in extra time rather than relying on a tight connection.
